


Hot Chocolate

by LouAndI_Larry



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Abusive Anne, Bottom Harry, Friends to Lovers, Happy Ending, Harry annoys him yet intrigues him at the same time, Harry is hopelessly in love with Louis, Harry is seven, I hope I'm doing this tag thing correctly, Ignorant Harry, Larry Stylinson Is Real, Liam is a minor character but still important, Louis is fourteen, Louis is incredibly smart for his age, Louis is wiser than most kids his age, M/M, Older Louis, Partners In Crime Zouis, Pervert Des, Smart Louis, Supportive Zayn, There's an age gap between Louis and Harry, Top Louis, Younger Harry, fluffy larry, louis loves harry, niall is just niall, slight ziam
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-12
Updated: 2015-03-12
Packaged: 2018-03-17 12:01:51
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Underage
Chapters: 1
Words: 18,306
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3528653
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LouAndI_Larry/pseuds/LouAndI_Larry
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"Hello. Would you like to buy some hot chocolate?" </p><p>"I don't know, would I? Persuade me." </p><p>☕ </p><p>Harry's just a little boy selling hot chocolate. </p><p>Louis doesn't really like hot chocolate, but he does appreciate a good businessman </p><p>(especially cute, baby-faced ones)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Hot Chocolate

**Author's Note:**

> My first fanfic on AO3 I'm soooo excited! My tags embarrass me though, honestly. Like they're all over the place.....

Winter.

The name itself sent chills down Louis' spine.

He was trotting with his typical group of loser friends from school, the snow heavily weighing his snow boots down. All the middle-schoolers seemed to be over the moon about the idea of getting out of school early. But not Louis. He was rather depressed to say the least. The idea of being deprived of a full day's learning did not appeal to Louis in the slightest. College was right around the corner.

'You're 13, son" his mother would scold half-heartedly. 'College shouldn't be in your mindset for a good few years, young man.' she'd state. He just sat there and took it, though, sipping his coffee. Of course she wouldn't understand. Jay wasn't a college graduate, he thought sassily.

"Lighten up, Lou. It's only 9 in the morning and we've already been let out of school," Brandon reminded him. Louis cringed, still walking behind with his books.

"If only there was something to 'lighten up' about. Need I remind you of that science test we'd were to receive today. I don't spend my afternoon studying for nothing." But Brandon was already focused on balling up a snowball and lunging it at their other friend, Stan. Louis once more, sighed, returning to the solitude of his text book specifically for the walk home. Good old Shakespeare.

Soon the other three boys caught up, finally gaining some common sense, no less. Snowball fight plus no gloves equal brrrrr. Simpletons.

"Jesus Lou, you're so boring. Hard to believe you're the youngest out of the 3 of us," Michael taunted making the other 2 laugh. He didn't really care, though. Louis would have the last laugh, when these 3 would be working for him in a few years. He'll give it 7 at the most.

The falling of the snow and the lack of honking car horns made the neighborhood more serene, which was great for Louis because he'd have peace and quiet when he got home, where he could curl up properly to the sounds of Yann Martel's audio version of "Life of Pi", a fine piece of literature. Not some animated crap leaving thousands of people feeling more sufficient having seeing a visual of one of the greatest novels of their generation.

Suddenly, a sweet, chocolatey smell filled the icy air, and Louis could make out a stand in his direct vision, followed by a small head standing behind the counter. He could not tell if it was a girl or boy.

"Well looky what we have here, boys," Stan was the second to take notice. Louis could see the familiar, reckless glint in his eyes, which, unfortunately meant trouble for whatever dunce had come out that day.

"Let's pay 'em a visit." Since he was the leader of their little group, everyone followed. Louis took to putting his book away.

Once they'd made it to where they could get a better peek, Louis could make out a little boy, wrapped up a thick green coat with a visible Christmas hat, his skin resembling the snow and his hat resembling his cheeks. Cute kid, cute kid.

The little boy seemed to be too busy to notice the boys' presence as he poured a container of liquid into cups. Stan took advantage of that, quickly, and slammed his hand down onto the counter, making it shake, as well as the little boy.

"Hey kid," he smirked cheekily, eyeing the stand carefully. "What do we have here?"

"Looks like we have us a little hot chocolate stand," Brandon took mock notice, moving to stand by Stan, Michael following right behind.

Louis nearly gave himself a headache with rolling his eyes. Honestly, did they have to be this stupid even when they try to do a simple task like bully a little kid?

The boy smiled nervously. "Y- yes. I am, actually." His voice was quite deep for his size, but his height clearly showed that he was, in fact, a little boy. "W- would you like to b- buy some?"

Michael was having fun, Louis noticed, kicking the stand and circling it like a shark with it's pray.

"Nope. But it'd be lovely if you gave us some. See the thing is, we don't have any money," Brandon snarled as he reached for the cup hastily.

"No! You have to p- pay like everyone else, sir," he said hopelessly. It was almost as if he knew he wouldn't get away without giving them what they wanted, charge free.

Louis decided it was best to cut in when Stan and Michael grabbed for their own cups. Though it was really imbecilic to pour cups before hand. To be fair, the hot chocolate would no longer be hot, but the 13 year old didn't like them bullying people. Not even the too readily slutty girls at school like Trisha, who wore short skirts and belly shirts in the dead of winter. It just wasn't in him.

"Alright, lads, that's enough. Leave him be." Harry's eyes snapped to Louis and his smile was wide enough to slice through his whole chubby face. "Don't wanna be forced to show your mum your last report card, Stanley."

Stanley loudly gulped, nearly setting the half-empty cup back down. "You wouldn't dare."

Louis gave him the 'you really wanna find out' look and challenged him using only his stance and glare.

"Fucking prude, I swear. Don't know why we hang around you." Louis knew why. Because he was brilliant, an easy guy to get to know and use because of his out-of-character like intelligence. Louis didn't particularly mind being used- since he basically used Stan to fend off the bullies- and he actually liked Stan, Mikey, and Brandon when they weren't being clowns.

The nearly empty cups were lowered back onto the table, but you could see Harry's face distraught at that fact. Louis almost felt bad.

"Come on fellas," Brandon mumbled. He really hated it when others got there way, so he was quick to add a "tasted like shit, anyway" before they scampered back home. For some reason, Louis stayed, though.

Harry sniffled, from the cold and maybe he might have been crying, as he looked at the nearly empty container of hot coco.

"Hey, uh, kid?"

Harry wiped his nose on his coat. Ew. "Yeah?"

Louis rocked on the balls on his feet. "You got any more left?" Why was he even asking this? He hated hot chocolate.

"You wanna buy some of it?" Nooo, I want to wipe my arse with it.

"Yes, um...."

"Harry. My name is Harry." Whoa. Kid piped up pretty quickly.

"Harry it is, then. This is quite the establishment you've got here," he pointed out, really taking in the crudely drawn depiction of a person drinking hot chocolate on the front of the stand. His name was on the banner of it, clearly drawn by him because the two r's in his name were backwards.

"Quite the what?"

"Nothing. You gonna sell me the drink or not?"

Harry baffled, taking the container and preparing it for the liquid's departure.

"Ah ah ah. That's not the proper business strategy," he tutted, shifting his backpack. Harry quirked his eyebrow.

"What do you mean?"

Louis scoffed. Amateurs these days.

"Introduce yourself better. That last introduction you gave me lads was quite poor. You've gotta bedazzle me, Harry. Use that cuteness you've got going for you to your advantage."

Harry blushed. "You think I'm cute."

Louis eyes rolled into his head. "Just precious," he stated flately. "Now I want you to focus, kid. Pretend I just walked up. Capture my interest. Make me feel pleasured to have stumbled upon this gift of a hot chocolate stand."

Harry blinked at him, but nodded. "Ok. Ok I've got it."

"Good. Wipe your nose first, please."

Louis walked away quickly, but returned pretending as though the past half hour did not happen at all.

"Hello. Would you you like to buy some hot chocolate?"

Louis paused his walking, seeming to think about it.

"I don't know, would I? Persuade me."

Louis was hinting that he should come off better, but this itself was a great improvement from last time.

The curly boy thought about it. "It's really rich and creamy. Warm, too. Perfect for this cold weather we're having. Aside from that. It'll warm your boy parts."

Louis nearly fell over. "Harry, you can't just say that! Besides, what if your customer's a girl?"

Harry scratched at his scalp and Louis had given up. "Don't hurt yourself, I'll buy a cup today. If this were to ever happen again, you'd be lucky if you got a second glance from me."

Despite the insult, the little boy beamed and charged him for it.

"This is a rip off. 3.75 for a cup of cold, crappy, chocolate," Louis gruffed, reaching into his pocket and handing him 2 dollars.

"Thank you, sir, have a good day!"

Louis almost hit him. "You didn't even count it!"

Harry blinked at him.

"Can't count money yet, can you?"

Harry frowned, shaking his head. Unbelievable.

"Isn't this a bitch...." It somewhat shocked Louis himself as he shoved a ten dollar bill into the little boy's jean pocket. Harry stared at him, very confused. "It's not enough to pay for me and me mates drinks, but it should do for now. This was all my week's allowance, but since you got cheated out of your hard work, I'd say it's only fair."

Harry absolutely beamed at him. "Thank you...."

"Louis. Louis William Tomlinson," he waved the boy's intense green-eyed gaze, beginning to walk away with the drink he'd yet to taste. "I'll see you 'round, Harry Styles. Not to be rude, but I'm freezing my balls off out here."

Harry snickered. "Told ya."

Oh goodness. "Don't expect this to be a daily thing between us, Styles." That was all he'd said before he ceased straining his ears for a response.

Louis huffed, waiting until he turned the corner before he decided to take a sip. He almost scowled at the bland cup, feeling foolish for buying a cup of what he hated from a simple little boy without checking the contents for actual flavor.

Scratch what he said earlier about not making this a daily thing. It seemed he'd have to make a direct trip to the Styles Stand tomorrow after all.

☕

As Louis predicted and albeit looked forward to, he strolled past that very same house with the very same doe-eyed little boy, still trying to make a buck, no doubt.

Unfortunately, the school had decided upon themslves that they'd missed enough school time yesterday and made them trudge their little tushies to the prison for a fun day of school activities! Yawn. Louis would rather watch Nick watch paint dry. The poor sap would probably do it, too, as he ate his sludgy glue like an appetizer.

Don't get Louis wrong, of course his friends were still his small circle of friends, but he knew they'd judged him for what he'd done just yesterday afternoon. For a bunch of moronic elementary school kids they sure had the brain capacity to hold a grudge.

Anyways, Louis held his favorite novel close as his teeth chattered from the harsh winter winds. Harry was visibly no better as he breathed into his tiny ungloved hands, which unfortunately made him appear even more adorable. That didn't stop the older from grimacing as he sauntered to him.

"Hey kid, can't you take a hint? It's nearly 20 degrees out here and I'll bet you haven't managed to sell a single cup of that tasteless pint since yesterday," he scolded him bitterly. It wasn't fair how the little boy still beheld a smile when it was so dreary outside.

"Good morning, sir. Would you care for a cup of delicious hot chocolate," he chirped. Louis groaned.

"I already know it tastes like tar, save the convincing for some knit-wit, ey?"

Jesus this kid was unreal. It made sense he wasn't that bright. Pretty things like him normally aren't normally the ones who graduated from Yale. Then again, he was only about 5, but that's beside the point.

The boy frowned and moved a curl out of his eyes. "I listened to what you told me yesterday. It hasn't work."

The 13 year old pitied him a bit, even though this was a stupid idea to begin with; selling a cup of hot chocolate in the frost-encrusted Winter as though it's the same logic as selling lemonade in the summer. Louis licked his arid lips, wondering how beautiful Harry would look during that warm time of year. Curls fully on display and not hidden under a frilly Bomber hat, cheeks a normal colorless hue, eyes sparkling in the humid summer sun. Boy would that be a sight if Louis'd ever seen one.

Ok so Louis was pretty sure he was gay. No biggie. He knew with his mother's ignorance she'd be fully against it, giving him a rather imbecilic rant on how he'd die from HIV (Nash Grier can atest to that, eh). No matter. He'd cross that bridge when he'd get to it.

"Oh? Maybe because your hot chocolate isn't that attractive looking. Have you tried dazzling it up with some marshmellows or something?"

The same strand that Harry's brushed away had fallen back over his face only for him to remove it once more.

"I'd ask mum, but it's her happy hour at the moment. Maybe later when she's in a better mood."

Excuse me?

"Excuse me? Happy hour? You're too young to know about a happy hour. Hell, I'm too young to know about a happy hour."

The boy shrugged and rubbed his tiny hands together. It was then that Louis got a better look at his face.

"Is that- what happened to your face Harry?" The boy's cheek had a large, pink hand-print across it. Clearly a wound that had yet to be tended to. Harry put his head down in shame.

"I was being a bad, bad boy. I deserved to be punished."

Louis only could stand there and think of what he could have said or done to deserve such a literal slap to the face. Louis' mother did not believe in physical punishment towards her children nor would she ever.

"Oh Harry...."

"It's fine, I promise. Please don't talk about it."

With much distaste, Louis felt it was best to nod and stay out of it.

"Thank you. Now I have to sell some cups to pay for my chistmas gift before mother gets even madder. I only have...um...how many days again...?" Madder wasn't even a word and to make it more infuriating, Harry began counting his fingers as if he were trying to do the math calculations.

"Harry it's the fifth. So using easy math, you can determine that it will only be 20 days until Christmas day!" Harry stepped back a bit from the tone. Louis didn't mean to be short, but that was preschool math and from what Louis could guess, Harry was not a preschooler. Speaking of which....

"Why are you not in school, anyhow? At any rate, we should be going to the same school since Maddstown Elementary is the only other gradeschool within miles of here."

Harry didn't look up at him.

"I can't go to school because I'm too dumb."

Excuse me?

"Who said you were too dumb?" Ok so Louis did think Harry wasn't the brightest star in the sky- his looks made up for it so don't worry- but he knew someone had to tell him this in order for him to believe such rubbish. He couldn't have possibly gotten the idea labeling himself. The boy was far too young to go through the insecurities stage.

He looked up at him through his long lashes. "Can't say. Don't wanna get punished."

The silence that followed was discomforting to say the least, not that Louis didn't know how to diffuse it.

"Well I'll tell you that you're far from dumb." Louis didn't believe in people putting down others by questioning their intellect. That was one of his pet peeves. He would think that people were idiotic, but he'd never tell them that. He'd only fix the matter by subtly correcting them. No problemo.

"But you just said I was stupid a little while ago!" Poor simple-minded fool, Louis thought. Oh shit Harry was right about one thing. He did think he was dumb. He thought a lot of things were dumb. People especially.

"I think everyone is stupid, but with you it's different. You're just a cute little kid so you have an excuse. A free pass if you will." Harry didn't look less deterred from the explanation so Louis digressed. "You'll understand when you're older the bullshit that life will throw at you and the incompetence that comes right along with it."

Harry gasped. "You swore! You're not suppose to swear! Especially since you're pretty and stuff! Swearing is an ugly treat, my daddy says!"

Louis didn't know what to start with. The part when he got called pretty or how the little boy confused trait with treat!

"You um- I'm not pretty. I'm manly. Man of the house. I kinda make my own rules. So thanks for the compliment, but no thanks." The wind swayed him a bit and the iciness of it made his ears raw. Harry was no better, his nose Rudolf red and close to running, while his face blended with the snow on the ground.

Harry smiled warmly at him, as though Louis' words went in one ear and out the other (which Louis wouldn't be surprised if it did). The bright smile made Louis' face heat up and he couldn't for the life of him snap at Harry to stop gazing at him with those dazzlingly rare green eyes. It was like he was under some type of spell. There's that manipulation Harry has yet to use to his advantage.

"Ok, Harry I'll get you some darn marshmallows and I'll be sure to watch my darn language. All for you, you crafty son of a biscuit," Louis huffed, finally having the willpower to look away. Harry had to make it worse and reach out to stroke his face.

"Oh, did I make you mad, Louis? Your face is all red like when mommy gets angry and dizzy."

The touch was so spontaneous that it made Louis jump back a few inches.

"I- why did you have to- your mom is what?" Louis baffled, not sure where to start with this boy, as per usual. Harry always seemed to be the only person to stump him and give him some type of rare speech impediment. What's worse is that it almost physically hurt to pull away from such a dainty caress.

Trying again, Harry continued. "Nothing. Just when mommy drinks this stuff, she gets real mad."

Taking a breath, Louis took a secind to process this. Great, another reason to come back and question the world and it's inhabitants. As if Louis didn't have enough to deal with. "I gotta go, but I'll be back tomorrow and I'll have some-" Louis was once again caught off by Harry's dimpled grin with his obnoxiously adoring face beaming at him like he offered him the fuckin- freaking sun.

Harry leaned over the stand. "Stuff?" his breath tickled Louis' nose.

"Yeah...stuff." And if that wasn't the blandest word Louis has ever allowed himself to use....

It's funny. Louis was smart enough to find the cure for cancer, yet he's stood here taking to a boy less than twice his age. But sure, let's top it all off with the boy having an abusive mother why don't we? This is the B.S. that Louis was talking about earlier. Life's B.S.

☕

"Oh yummy! You got the bunny-shaped kind," Harry marvelled as he watched Louis climb up and sling the bag of marsh-mellows onto the floor.

"Oh shut up. These things weren't exactly the cheapest thing to come by." Louis didn't want to admit it, but Harry was actually not that bad a kid to hang around.

The lad was a curious little dwarf that asked good questions and listened to Louis rant. They'd hung out by that same spot in front of Harry's house for a week straight before Harry suggested they retreat to Harry's tree-house in his backyard.

"Want me to pay you back?"

Louis' eye twitched as he fixed Harry's filthy collar.

"You couldn't possibly be able to pay me back."

"When my business sells better, I'll give you all your money back and then some."

The days got warmer it seemed, especially when Harry was nearby. Harry's wound healed progressively and Louis' feelings for him only strengthened.

It made him sick that he couldn't even attempt to ditch the young boy because not only did he really want to kiss him so hard his genius would snake its way into the boy's brain, but he also was curious as to Harry's family life and how his mom treated him. It couldn't be good, because Harry was rarely ever in the house, and it was nearly 20 degree weather. He'd never tell the little angel that, though.

Louis scoffed at how sentimental he was becoming. Harry was doing this to him. Louis never cared about people. His mother was OK, somewhat. Everyone else can chew on a tampon.

The last couple of days were spent with Louis levitating his lonely self to the cute little boy with the crappy hot chocolate, which is odd as Louis is the youngest misanthropist that mother nature ever had the displeasure of producing.

Louis aided him in the art of hot chocolate making and in return, Louis ranted and raved about his daily plights that he'd spent the whole day having to cope with. From snot-nosed school kids, to inadequate teachers who's excuse for not knowing how to spell 'division' is that they're math teachers.

"Don't worry about it," he eased stepping off of the ladder and onto the floor of the tree-house. It was quite roomy and Louis was told that it'd been here when he and his mum moved in. "Told you, just don't forget about us poor people when you become a model or something once you hit 18."

Harry baffled as his face reddened. "You never told me that before."

Fucking hell, that might have been something Louis may have thought in his head, oops.

"Lou...."

Louis refused to meet Harry's eye as he finally made his way in fully and focused on Harry's stack of dusty comics."These yours?"

"Yes, Louis, you seen those before but Lou...."

"Neat-o. I don't know what you mean about you not being smart. These are brilliant selections of-"

"You don't even read comics." Harry was very observant, Louis observed. Wow. Observe-ception.

"Look, Haz. I've been meaning to ask you about your home life....and your mum."

Harry flinched his hand away from where Louis' assuming it was aiming to get a touch of Louis, like the boy always seemed to do. It was comforting, but Louis had a barrier for these things. Ones made especially for cute, moon-eyed curly-haired boys that you shamelessly think of while in the shower. What? Louis' too young to be thinking about that? Tough shit, Louis was advanced for his age, so of course he wasn't ignorant to sexual desires.

"What about her?" he mumbled.

Louis moved his body back to the wall opposite the exit and Harry mirrored his movements."What's she like to you and why don't I ever see you in the house much?"

Harry's blush remained as he focused on the quiet fall of snow outside. "She doesn't like me much. Says I look too much like my dad."

Ah, Louis understood. She was that type of parent. Where she wasn't enough for her boyfriend, who leaves after knocking the girl up, creating a distaste for the child who shares it's looks with the father. Harry's mum was predictably the type of woman who blames Harry for the father's leaving. Louis hated selfish parents like that.

"Let me guess, it's your fault he left-"

"Yes. He liked kissing me more than he did her."

Louis prepared his rant about the carelessness of parents today, the further neglect on society for producing aidless shit like MTV that romanticizes the shit on a daily basis, but nothing could have prepared the winding cogs centering his brain for this type of confession. He turned to study Harry's face, not sure if he'd heard correctly, to find Harry glancing back at him, a mixture of innocence and love.

"Harry that's...." Louis couldn't find the vocabulary suitable for Harry's ears to call this.

"It's OK. He's gone now. It's the winter, right? He might be back again when the sun comes back with all the pretty flowers."

Louis said nothing.

He might have wrapped a dainty arm around Harry's neck and scratched softly at his curls, but overall, Louis said nothing.

☕

Louis was suppose to go to the arcade. Somehow, his feet didn't get the memo and he ended up in front of Harry Styles' door.

"Louis, what are you doing here? It's early," a sleepy Harry tucked his head from the door frame where he hides his lower half on the warmer side to protect himself from the cold air.

What can he say to this? Here he stood at 9 in the morning at his young crushe's doorstep, pocket full of change just waiting to be wasted with mind-numbing arcade games, and he had no idea. Was Louis already at the age where he would let his tiny pecker think for him? He wouldn't be surprised. Just standing here looking at Harry's sleep-deprived state is doing things to him. Like he wasn't about to turn 15 in a mere 6 days.

"Uhh...nothing really. Just headed over to the arcade and wanted to see if you'd tag along."

Louis wanted to facepalm himself because in his somewhat perverted moment of weakness he hadn't thought clearly about letting Harry go to the arcade with him. That'd meant just more and more time of him to slowly unravel himself to the boy and he hated when he opened up to people. It's like Harry sucked the adult out of him.

It was too late now, for Harry had slammed the door rushing out a high pitched 'wait here!' and leaving to dress himself.

☕

Harry had saved up a total of over a hundred dollars and some change from his profits, and his mother had taken most of it.

"She told me that it was her earnings and that I should be grateful that I'm still breathing for spending money on stupid marsh mellows," Harry revealed to him on their small walk to the arcade. The snow was now gone, but it definitely didn't take the cold with it.

"Did you tell her I bought them for you?"

"No. She doesn't want me to have friends so you don't exist to her."

Louis scoffed at the very nerve of that heinous woman putting Harry through life without the basic necessities to be a sociable human. Women. Did Louis mention why he liked men better?

"Did she hit you, Hazza?"

Louis always despised these moments of weaknesses with Harry. He wasn't the affectionate type and normally treated everyone he met with hostility to let them know he isn't, nor will he ever be, a wimp. He is better than most, and that's a fact. It was his defense mechanism after his father left him, and he couldn't afford to grow too attached to people in fear that he'd let them inflict some type of pain on him and yada yada, so he had a heart, OK?

But he just- he just couldn't. Not with Harry could he help but treat him with something as close to love as he could force himself to express aloud. That he knew how.

Point was, Harry had enough shit to deal with and if the boy already had help in the push-over department thanks to his "caring" mother, then Louis certainly wouldn't make the effort to do more damage.

"No, not this time," he whispered. "She was smoking so she put the hot part on my hand." No. Harry had to be kidding. That bitch!

"Let me see," Louis spoke with authority making Harry yank down his sleeve to reveal to him the mark.

"See, right there. It doesn't hurt anymore but the mark never faded."

Louis' heart clenched, which was new for him so he almost assumed he was dying, pausing himself in mid-walk to bend over.

"Lou are you OK? Should I give you mouth to mouth?"

The older forced an intake of breath and clutched his chest, anger coursing through him.

"You're so fucking....why do you do this to me? Why do you let her do this to you?" he yelled shoving the boy lightly. "You get me all angry and I lose my impressive vocabulary and you just say anything and you make me feel dirty because I almost wank to a broken fucking kid and-"

"Louis stop. P- please. You're scaring m- me," Harry coward, shocked by Louis' rant- to which he didn't know half of what the older said- and Louis' reddened exterior.

The boy allowed himself to take a better breath and counted backwards from ten. "Gosh Harry I'm sorry."

His normal, rationally colder side would have made Harry go away so he could vent to himself and take his anger out on his studies, but this was his Harry, and he was certain the boy was the only thing in this world that loved him unconditionally.

"Here, let's go to the arcade. My treat. Calm down," he pulled Harry into his chest to hug his shaky friend, knowing he had to have triggered something for him to react this frighteningly.

And if he had to hold Harry's hand and kiss the cigarette mark several times to get Harry to forgive him, not to mention apologize for swearing, then nobody had to know. He'd do it again if he had to.

☕

"Only 3 more days left 'til Christmas, Lou" Harry made the attempt at getting Louis to pay attention to him.

It had been an awkward past few days for the little boy as he noticed the lack of Louis visitations. It made it all the more difficult to maintain a smile on his face after his mother brought her a new boyfriend over. That only meant that Harry would have a more hopeless day of sulking, cleaning, and eyeing his posted picture of a game boy framed to his wall. Then one that he'd stolen from one of the garbage subscription magazines his mother purchased. The woman couldn't even read!

But that game boy was all any boy ever had. When his mother bought him a pair of roller skates for his birthday, Harry was overjoyed that not only had his mother remembered her only child was turning 6 that day, but she'd gotten him a pair of sparkly black kind with gold laces, reeking with the smell of new cardboard box. Even if Harry wanted some new clothes or maybe a birthday kiss, he would take what he could as long as it was from his mummy.

When he reached out for them, his mother pulled them away as quickly as she'd given them. Before Harry could even wrap is newly six-year-old mind around the movement, he was pushed to the ground.

"Pathetic," his mother spat. "My son is a fag. What a fucking waste."

Harry had tears blocking his view as his mother forced him to skate with nothing but his torn underwear on down the lane. In the dead of winter. All day long.

To this day, Harry has a fear of skating.

"Hm? Oh yeah, Haz.. That time of year again. Corporate businesses manipulating the young, using the jolly suited white man as a decoy to gain money. The ultimate marketing tool for the fast-moving economy."

Harry had no idea what Louis was talking about, but that didn't matter. Because Louis was reading with his foot dangling off the side of the tree house, reading a book that Harry could never be able to pronounce, all while the sun casts down onto his perfect blue eyes. They sparkled, like car keys, Harry noted. Harry loved the taste of car keys.

Louis felt Harry's eyes on him and turned to meet his culprit.

Harry blushed and looked away. "Maybe I can finally know who Santa is."

The floppy-haired boy rolled his eyes. "What did you think I was just talking ab-"

Harry jumped as Louis covered his mouth, mumbling a quiet "shit". Louis talked too much. He didn't even take note that his rambling was to a little boy. One that could very well possibly believe in Santa.

"Hey, no swearing," Harry reprimanded.

"Never mind that. Harry," Louis motioned him with his hand to approach him. Harry wasted no time rushing to sit- right in Louis' lap. Thanks for the dreams, Harry. Cheers!

"Ooook. Anywho, Santa. Big guy. Gives presents on Christmas. Heard of him, right?"

Harry fidgeted in Louis' lap to get comfortable on Louis' thighs. Louis tapped his nails on the hardwood floor impatiently.

"Yes, Louis. In a comic book, yes. But he never comes to my house. I asked mum why and she said he doesn't visit bad boys. Bad boys have to work for their present."

Louis considered convincing Harry that he's the best kid Louis has ever met, hence why Louis wastes precious reading time hanging out with him, but the message from Anne, Harry's mum, had implanted into her son's brain, Louis knew that'd take years of convincing and psychological healing to ensure. '

There had been a level of discomfort that Louis made the mistake of causing resulting in him being very...careful with Harry. He noticed he'd already swore too much and yelled at the boy, knowing Harry went through a Hell of his own in his own damn household. Louis can't do that. Not to Harry. This is the reason he'd let him get away with his childish shenanigans like playing in Louis' hair whilst he reads or begging Louis to kiss his imaginary "boo boos" away. 'Lou boo, kiss my boo boo!'. Sickening. Sickening, degrading, and Louis definitely didn't do it again for no reason and tickle him afterwards. Absolutely not.

"That why we sell hot chocolates in 10 degree weather, babes?" Louis surprised himself when he began to wrap his index finger through a curl on Harry's head, his favorite book long forgotten.

"Y-yeah. I want.....um...."

"Spit it out, curly," Louis wanted to tug his curls a bit, and so he did. "What would you like for Christmas?"

Now the older knew he was crossing some type of line when he gently moved Harry's bum onto his groin. Was it the altitude making his head spin and his teenage wants to sky rocket through the common sense in his brain? It had to have been.

"If you're not gonna tell me, then would you care to know what I want for Christmas?"

Harry's breath labored and he wrapped his legs tighter around Louis' mid-section, not understanding what was going on with his....boy parts..and why it felt so stiff and achey. He pushed it into Louis stomach without meaning to.

That seemed to bring Louis back to reality enough to make him move aback.

But it did nothing to prevent Louis from falling down 50 feet to the ground.

☕

It didn't take Louis to get over the shock of nearly falling to his death after Harry had successfuly managed to save him from his impending doom.

"Alright?" Harry asked several times after he himself finished panicking.

Louis was, once again, left at a loss for words as he clutched his heart in a breathless attempt to calm it down properly.

After Louis took in the fact that he was one lucky son of a bitch for being friends with hazardous nails in his tree house that ironically prevent the accidents, he laughed. If it were not for that tiny nail sticking out from the floor of the tree house hooking onto his shirt momentarily, well.....Louis isn't sure where he'd be right now.

"Think I could go for that mouth to mouth right about now, as all."

Harry sighed in relief, the poor kid, hugging Louis to him tightly and sobbing about nearly losing his only friend.

"You're- you're amazing. I think you may have saved me life." Louis' eyes shown with something Harry had never seen before with people. Gratitude, and love. "I could have died just now, if not for you."

Harry blushed and felt it was right to go with his instincts and kiss Louis' cheek to reassure himself that he was actually still there, that this wasn't a dream. "No problem." Harry made sure they were safely away from the doorway before he snuggled into Louis' hoodie. "You'd do the same for me, right?"

☕

"Mr. Tomlinson, if you'd please get out of your slump and listen to my teachings, you might regain your spot as my number one, ey?"

Louis was barely listening to his teacher, as he didn't care about some stupid elementary school book about "Holes" if he was completely honest. What type of moron did these people take him for?

He was more enamored with his book, but not for the reason most would think.

Harry had apparently gotten ahold of one of his take-home textbooks and drew lots of hearts and even wrote his name in his best handwriting, just as Louis taught him.

Six year olds should not be ignorant to that of their penmanship, especially when it involves them not knowing the spelling of their own names. Aside from that, the hearts went straight to Louis' actual beating one, as they represented something more than Harry was letting on. And if the little boner Harry had gotten from Louis getting carried away wasn't enough of a hint, than Louis didn't know what was.

So there it was, Harry Styles, written in a elegant fashion with hearts surrounding it. Right next to Louis'. It made the older so proud that he aided Harry in the art of shaping him as an older, growing human. Yeesh that was a lot to take in.

The only the wrong in this situation was that Harry was on punishment, most likely for no reason whatsoever. And it was two days before Christmas and a day before his birthday. How fucked up was that?

"Louis!" Mr. Higgons scolded with a slap of the ruler to his desk. "We've only 5 minutes of class and that means what?"

The boy sighed and slumped back in his seat, not in the mood to learn. "Five more minutes of learning. Hoo-ray." It was very unlikely of Louis to act this way, and Mr. Paul said nothing more to him until after class when he attached a note to his book. 'Get better xx'

Paul wasn't a bad guy. Especially since he considered Louis his brightest pupil.

☕

"Why are you always hanging out with that fag boy, Louis?"

"Bug off, Brandon. M not in the mood for your lunacy."

"Me what?"

It was after school that Louis walked faster than normal to go visit Harry secretly. It would all go much more smoothly if he didn't have a poor excuse of a bully following him.

"I'm serious Brandon. Fuck off!"

Brandon stood in front of him. "Why? Making the kid give you a handjob or something? You're so gay, he's like 4."

Louis pushed past him, getting fairly annoyed. "He's 6! Almost 7." Why wasn't he with his clique? Didn't he have some wall to smash his head into? Goddam.

"Kid's a moron."

Louis snapped. He swung his fist around so hard his arm nearly came out of it's socket. How dare he call his Harry stupid? If anyone had the right to, it'd be Louis.

But he'd never do that. He would never lie like that. Harry was brilliant, and Louis wasn't being biased at all when he said it. It was a fact, after all.

Brandon's body collided with the cold ground and the blue-eyed boy almost wished he'd bust his head open. Grabbing a fist full of Brandon's shirt, he lisfted him up and whispered dangerously low, "if you ever let shit like that come out of your mouth about Harry Styles again, you better back that shit up . Because I'll knock your ass back into 1st year where you belong if you think I'll let you sit here and degrade him like this."

Louis punctuated every word with a shake to the bleeding boy and threw him onto his back again powerfully. Serves the piece of shit right. Louis wasn't letting anyone else walk over on him. Never. Not again.

Without another word, he walked away, feeling victorious. Yet, like all good things, it didn't last long.

Such a shame, too. He'd almost made it to Harry's door step until a not so friendly looking policeman pulled up to him, a furiously bruised Brandon in the backseat.

☕

"You had one job! One bloody job, Louis and that was to do well in school. Now you're working towards having a criminal record like your no good father? Disgraceful...."

For God sakes, Louis' mum could drag things on. The woman sure made an ass of herself, especially when she was angry. Often times, the most hurtful words are expressed in her time of rampage, and that was Louis' cue to make indirect comments telling her that he's leaning towards homosexuality because of her. But that can wait for another day.

As she kept rambling and digging her heel into the ground, placing the key into their lock of the small house whilst Louis taps his foot impatiently.

"I had to not only pay a $300 fine for disturbing the peace, but I had to sit in that jail and apologize for my only child's rowdyness! And to top it all off, you wouldn't even tell me why you hit him in the first place! His mother wanted to chew my head off, and his father might have even wanted to sue me with the look he gave you! I thought you were too scrawny to fight, and you seem to have a satisfaction in proving me wrong."

Louis glared at the back of her head, angrily tapping his foot at the impatientness of the mother not opening the door fast enough. He didn't want to talk to her right now. He was eager to see the lack of Christmas gifts under the tree just because of this one little problem he had all year. That would give him all the ammunition he needed to call her out for her failing to properly file her taxes, or how she always "forgets" to ask to see his immaculate report card every year. Or how she got so drunk after partying with her boyfriend and accidentally flushed her tampon, the fucking dipshit.

Oh he has a bone to pick with this woman.

"-And all the bloody stores will be closed tomorrow, but I have no money to buy a new outfit for Vincent's Christmas party."

Holy crap! Tomorrow was Christmas Eve, which meant most stores wouldn't be open.

After finally opening the door, his mother turned to face him with fiery eyes, only to find him gone, as if he were never there to begin with.

Maybe she'd left him at the station by accident?

☕

It was honestly one of Louis' favorite pastimes, startling his younger friend. So it was nothing new when Harry nearly jumped out of his skin seeing a figure by his two-story side window.

It would have amused Louis if Harry's face wasn't shiny with tears. Louis' already tightened grip on the vines gracing the ladder by Harry's window (safe, innit?) tightened even more once he'd seen Haarry's current state.

"I'm sorry. I wanted to see you, but I got into a fight with Brandon and I got arrested and...and-"

"Wow! You got arrested! That's so cool!"

Louis couldn't help but smile at the silly little boy, immersed in a comic book world where crime fighting is done in the style of super power usage and people get saved by flying men in tight tights. He longed for an ignorance such as this.

"What did you get arrested for? Did you bore somebody to death?"

"You sly mother- I mean....that was actually a pretty good joke." Louis had to be careful with his language. Harry deserved better than that.

"Thank you, Lou." Harry's face lit up, until he looked to see who was around and leaned in. "I was just crying because.....because my mom took all my money. All of it. I thought she was being bitten by some guy and when I went to get him off of her, she yelled at me and- and....."

Harry broke down in quiet sobs. It looked to take the life out of him as he held onto something to keep from falling over and falling apart even more.

Louis couldn't even comfort him properly because their was a window in his way. There was always a barrier between him and Harry, life seeming to have a secret vendetta against him. It was probably something he'd done in his past life, as he was almost certain he had been reincarnated.

"H....."

"I know you don't know what to do, but I don't know who to talk to," the boy sounded truly devastated. Crushed. It brought Louis back to a time when another broken little boy's father left him, and he'd taken comfort in reading and books. Imagination that can only strummed up by a child's mind.

Maybe he and Harry weren't so different after all.

"Have you caught up on your writing lessons, then?"

Harry nodded, curls bopping.

"Good, I saw your little distracting messages in my book- which I'll kill you for later- and I must say I'm very impressed."

Harry's lip poked out, like he did when he was in deep thought. "Impressed, I-m-p-r-e-s-s-e-d. Impressed." He then counted out the syllables in his mind, calculating and seeming to agree from his earlier doubts.

Louis's face probably cracked having not smiled this big in so long. "OK, now I'm impressed, truly. You've caught onto reading and writing better than kids twice your age, and I'm not saying that to flatter you."

Harry leaned his head on the freezing glass with a toothy smile, Louis doing the same.

"You're wonderful, Lou."

The smell of rain brought Louis back to the reality of the impending rain that would come soon. He wished Harry didn't have to lose that perfect smile, because when it was gone, he knew he'd dread the younger's next statement.

"She beat me, too, but she's not finished. Said I'm not getting anything for Christmas, now. Her new boyfriend can, but not me. I hate him, and I hate her, so much. I wish I had your mum."

Louis sighed. Harry shouldn't hate him mother. He shouldn't learn to hate. Otherwise, he'll be just a corrupted version of Louis, and he'll have nothing to fall back on later in life if he resorts to drugs and ruins his body. Hate does that to people.

The blue-eyed elder was prepared to go on a long rant about the neglect he gets from his own mother, which is in no way compares to Harry's demon of a guardian, until he heard the drunken yelling of Harry's name and the boy lurched away like his life depended on it.

"I- I gotta go." Before he ran to his mother, Louis caught him saying one last time that he'd hated her. This was some shit off of a Sci-Fi film, that's how senseless the whole ordeal was.

"I don't want you to go."

It would have been nice to get a kiss goodbye, but Louis will settle for a wave of dismissal.

This was Harry's life. Not even 10 years on earth and he has to deal with people like his mother, and a father going through some type of sexuality faze instead of a mid-age crisis like normal dads. He'd done nothing whatsoever to deserve any of this, especially so close to Christmas.

As for Louis, he realized he was no better; a selfish asshole himself, just with more brains.

He stood on that ladder for a good while (if his sore legs were anything to go by), then snapping from his daze and slowly climbing down. An idea had struck, and before he knew it, Louis' brain had already disregarded him, formulating a plan.

☕

Louis rubbed the sleep out of his dull blue eyes a descended down his carpeted staircase the next morning. Christmas was nearing, and that meant Louis had less than 24 hours to find a gift for his little Harry.

He hadn't slept much.

His mother had decided to invite her little boy toy to their home for the night and...well...let's just say this was his mother finally teaching him about the birds and the bees.

Harry's mom had left him at bit of an undesirable malaise. He'd gotten so angry to the point where he had to get up and write an angry letter, a book, perhaps, with all the words he'd scribbled distastefully. Some words in which were so vulgar, he'd have been tempted to cleanse himself in holy water.

Settling on cereal for breakfast, he then left a note to his mother telling her he'd be gone the whole day. It was freezing outside, however, the drive to give his boy what he desired drove Louis on to leave home. And because he didn't want to look his mother in the face with all that she'd yelled the night before in a fit of ecstacy. That can wait another day, thank you very much.

Happy birthday Louis, indeed.

Most would have told Louis to give up his search, as it was the day before Christmas, but Louis was a persistant son-of-a-bitch and he was determined to make Harry's Christmas the best it will ever be.

So, Louis kept a low profile from the police, because he should really be on house arrest, and went to town with his head held high. As the famous Mahatma Ghandi once said, Strength does not come from physical capacity. It comes from an indomitable will. Another quote he would share with Harry when he saw him. Along with all the other quotes he'd reveal to him to strangthen him, Louis was certain it'd keep Harry stable and sway him from resorting to anything other than excellence.

Louis was so engrossed in his thoughts, he nearly crashed into a pole.

☕

"So, let me get this straight....you expect me of all people to be able to give you my brand new, limited edition, Gameboy? I barely know you, Louis."

Maybe it wasn't the best idea asking a favor of Zayn Malik, son of the arcade owner, to just give him his favorite game, but Louis was anything but tenacious, after all.

People always were accused of only wanting to be Zayn's friend for the mere purpose of getting into the arcade for free, since Zayn was a peculiar kid. He was exotic, that was for certain, and his features were really pretty. Louis could definitely see him dating the boy, but he was no Harry and never would be. See? Louis was already comparing other guys to Harry, so he was past the point of being whipped.

Jesus, just the idea of the little green-eyed penguin made him delirious with want.

"But it's me birthday, Zayn! You'd turn an old sinner down on his birthday of all days. That's cold. Colder than this weather, Malik."

"And? That has nothing at all to do with me. Like...at all."

"I wouldn't just give you nothing in return, though. Surely there should be something you'd like. Whatever it is, you'll get it within at least a week's notice, I can assure you," Louis found out recently that he was quite charming. Perhaps if he didn't spend so much time with his nose in the books he might learn more new things about himself.

Zayn tapped his finger against his chin as though he was thinking of all the possiblities, the things he could use to his advantage on the situation. Louis shivered as he stood at his front door, wishing he'd hurry the hell up and make a decision.

"I wanna hang out with you," he deadpanned.

"Pardon?"

Zayn smirked. "I wanna hang out with you and do something naughty." His face curled into a Grinch-like smile.

Louis raised his brows and gritted his teeth. "Um listen....I know you're quite diverse with your tastes...but I kinda already have someone that I like. Not that...not that you're not handsome....because you are....but..."

"Stop. Please stop. I meant something dangerous. You know, since I saw you in back of a police van, I can tell you're a bad kid. That's what I wanna be too. Or better yet, what I am."

The younger breathed a sigh of relief. "Oh. I mean I knew that...pft- what? I was just joking about that whole other....thing-"

Zayn held up a hand, smiling. "Relax. I have no problem with gay people. But just a word of advice, yeah? You're like a year older than I am, so don't put a label on yourself just yet. Give yourself time to learn about who you are, like I tried to do when I was 12."

"Wow, that's really deep," Louis marveled as he watched Zayn reach for his coat on the coat rack nedxt to him.

"I'm a deep guy, once you get to know me. But we should hurry and do this before my parents come back from work around noon."

Louis nodded. "Deal." He was beginning to like this kid now. "But what were you labeling yourself as? You're curious about your sexuality as well?"

"Nah. Was labeling myself as an arsonist when I had an extreme addiction to fire."

☕

The two agreed on the bakery as their set location on their mission for mischeif. Talk about your undercover criminals, because Zayn was quite the opposite on Louis' primary opinion of him. He and his friends use to talk about him on the way to school as the "quite, shy kid that paints weird stuff on his arms". It proved to Louis just how much he should not judge a book by its cover.

"Who's the gameboy for, birthday boy?" Zayn asked snidely as they strolled to look for something to do that's trouble-worthy.

Louis shrugged, playing it cool. "A friend of mine."

The darker snorted. "Oh spare me. Who is the lucky lady? Or...fellow."

He kept quiet until he saw Zayn stop in his peripheral vision, waiting monotonously for an answer.

"Fine, damnit. It's just a guy I like. He's quite young, and probably wrong to like, but- well- he makes me happy. He's like- the greatest thing I never knew I needed until recently."

Louis gazed off into the bleek clouds in awe of just how much a simple crush can do for a kid like him. He'd keep Harry in the dark about it, though. Louis was a role model to him and he'd never want the boy to look up to a pervert. In the case that he didn't like Louis back and would move onto look for younger guys to date and Louis would have to fight him, then the boys.

"Gosh he's made me such a sap. He always wanted a Gameboy, and I'm determined to give it to him. He deserves the best life has to offer, but it hasn't seem to be doing such a great job as of lately, so I'm doing life a solid," he joked timidly.

Zayn shook his head in amusement. "So I'm guessing this boy is your reason for beating the shit out of those twice your size?"

The blush that rose to Louis' cheeks made him turn away. This guy was a problem. "That's none of your business, pretty boy. Maybe I just like to fight for what's mine."

Louis went on and on about him afterwards, getting too comfortable and revealing too much, but Zayn didn't judge. He merely listened and nodded when necessary.

Other than the snide remarks and constant need to cut off Louis' explanation on how Newton's law of motion plays a huge part in the messing up of the bloke's freaking hair, Zayn was actually not that bad of company if Louis was honest. Zayn was not as intimidating and weird when Louis got to know him.

"Well if you'd like my advice, I'd say you should do what's best for Harry. You both seem quite fond of one another from what I can tell, and- just- do what's right, OK? Put him first and what he needs, as opposed to what you want."

The statement stiffened the air as Louis tried to break down what Zayn could possible meant by that. Was it that obvious he can see through Louis' cherade?

 

 

Notwithstanding, Louis was pulled into the bushes by Zayn as the older had spotted their target of the evening.

"Is he looking?" Zayn asked for the fourteenth time as he stood in front of their local bakery. A pie sat on the counter, cooling, and his plan was to steal it. Louis learned he loved pie, and it just so happened that blueberry was the flavor of this one.

"No. Go on, take it," he whispered from the bushes where he was hiding.

"You sure about this, Lou? He might be looking." That pie was making his stomach gurgle at the smell.

"Don't be a wuss. He isn't looking. Promise."

Zayn nodded and took a hoarse breath, sneaking over from his bush and snatching the pie. Just his luck, just as the baker came back to grab it was when Zayn was spotted. Louis panicked.

"Hey! You come back here little piece of shit!" the baker yelled hopping over the window shield as he went after Zayn.

Louis couldn't let him get caught, so he yelled to the baker and froze when the baker turned and lurched at him. Zayn was no where to be found, but that was last on Louis' agenda to look for as he was chased not only by the baker, now the police, most likely in interest as to what all the commotion was about.

Before long, Louis was panting and praying that by some miracle, he'd get out of this without another trip to jail with his mom bailing him out.

He didn't think he'd have to outrun and stay hidden the entire day, but life was funny that way.

☕

Louis felt deterred and sleepy, as he'd been gone the whole day and his stomach protested with every stride in his step. But he needed to see Harry, and nothing would stop him from doing so.

So, using his mormal route in order to sneak and see Harry, he climbed the ladder beside the run-down house and knocked. It took a few knocks before it finally opened, revealing a shaken up Harry.

"Hey," Louis soothed, rubbing Harry's back and frowning at him that he was only wearing a torn-up white tee and underwear that Louis felt guilty of fantasizing in wanting to see him in days ago. "Hey stop crying. I know she's evil towards you, but you must be strong and strength does not come from appearance. Strength does not come from physical capacity. It comes from an indomitable will."

Harry glared up at him through his normal tears.

"Sorry. Just a quote I wanted to share with you from a man of peace that I was quite fond of-"

"He's back."

"He? He who?" Louis asked, keeping his balence on the ladder.

"My- my d-dad. He came back early. A- and he's d-dizzy and angry. And-"

Louis gulped in fear, now piecing everything together and hesitant to listen to Harry's next words.

"And he made me take off my pants."

☕

Louis' fingers dug into Harry's lower back as he willed his breathing to even, the world boxing him in.

He was afraid of falling, in more ways than one. Afraid of making the leap of faith from the functioning of his brain to the beating of his heart.

Louis was terrifyed, and it finally dawned on him that, though he had the mental capacity that far exceeded that of a normal child, he was still only a little boy. Not quite like Harry, but a little boy nonetheless.

He pulled away from the soothing embrace and finally looked Harry into his frighteningly pale green eyes. "I want you to forgive your mother, Harry."

The boy was quiet for a moment, but decidingly shook his head no.

"Harry-"

"She hates me. I can't forgive her. She's evil, and evil people are hated," he explained tearfully. What Louis wouldn't give to see a smile on his boy's face right about now.

"You must forgive her, and your father, the sick bastard-" Louis had to squeeze his eyes shut to force the tears back. He began again, "They'll both get what's coming to them soon enough. Until then, stay in here."

It was then that Louis could truly feel the intense force of Harry's fear. The stiffness of his grasping to Louis, and Louis had to refreain from wiping the curls out of his hair in fear that he'd freak out.

Their body heat blocked the cold well, but not well enough to warm Harry's icy cold heart. Louis could practically feel the transformation that Harry would carry for the rest of his life.

Louis couldn't live- couldn't sustain a proper lifestyle without his Harry. It was out of the question.

"He'll be be back tonight," Harry croaked, sniffles prohibiting his speech. "I don't wanna lay with him. He didn't learn the hand rule, keep them to himself."

"Push the door under your handle," Louis said without missing a beat. "You'll be fine."

The older of the two shoved the boy forward from him gently. It was time for him to go home, and he needed to punch something, so his wall sounded pretty tempting right then and there.

"Please, don't go."

"Be strong. Do as I say and I'll see you tomorrow." Louis deserved Harry. That was his boy. His boy needs to be strong. Without another word, he climbs down, ignoring Harry's pleas.

The last thing he hears is a weak 'happy birthday' before the closing of Harry's window punctured through the quiet night.

☕

"I deserve him, he has to learn to conform to the world, the hard way."

It was a bitter back and forth cycle of guilt to satisfaction over what had just occured that Louis realized just how much a simple little boy making shitty hot chocolate could change him in such a way. Louis now slacked off with his studies, read less, wanked more (which is normal for a young teen so he's pretty much in his element), and found himself coping with reality a bit more leniently.

Harry also brought out the kid in him, sharing his dusty forgotten Marvel comic books and getting him into hot chocolate and dreaming and drawing and just pure and utter desire for the simpler things in life. If the Louis from last month were to tell him he would soon act this way, he'd laugh and tell them to fuck off. Hey, give him credit. He swore a lot less these days.

Then again, Harry did not have all the necessities that would give him the process of healthily shaping from a boy to a man. But Louis had faith in the lad. Harry was strong and could survive. Right?

Flashes of a frail and helpless little curly-haired boy intruded his thoughts and Louis felt ill. Harry's own flesh and blood father, touching him.

But he was tough! He was pretty. An angel in the making, really. Angels don't die, not even internally.

But the pictures of Harry's suffering dented the wall he'd built around the perimeter of his heart slowly killed Louis. He was now stood in front of his house, the building where two police officer's cars were parked outside. Maybe if....

 

You're a selfish piece of shit, Louis Tomlinson. After all Harry did to bring you out of a shell you didn't even know you had, you only put him in harms way time and time again.....

 

Whatever internal battle that had launched within himself, he wished one side would wave the white flag.

 

"But what about me, eh? I can't have anything good in life, can I? Everything I have ever loved either walked out on me, or wasn't in my corner all together. I deserve him! I deserve a Harry Styles, an angel to keep me grounded. Sometimes, I don't even have the drive to get out of bed in the morning, just because I didn't want to come face to face with in a world where I'm constantly alone."

 

Harry is so, so beautiful. His rosy cheeks, his cute button nose, his stereotypically crooked teeth, his dimples, his little hats, his plump lips. and his flawlessly cute smile. That grin that surfaced a lot more when Harry wasn't near his mother.

"He can learn from me to man up, take charge of the situation, and grow stronger. Defeat his dad one day. I missed my opportunity, the lucky bastard. I need him. Harry, the only good guy in my life who stayed. I'm worthy of you, I'll prove it."

He'll be sentenced to a world of grief, death far too kind a punishment for the boy. He'll never recover if- if his father were to- to.....

Louis broke down into sobs, banging the ground with his fragile fist, letting all his anger out from all these years of abandonment, the fact that he never had anything great for too long. It was such sweet relief to be alone to let all his steam out, but it was almost midnight and there was no time to wallow in self-pity.

He'd sobered up and felt a relieving smile grace his wet face, he shivered from the cold and ran. Luckily, he could sneak into his upstairs bedroom unnoticed. Louis knew what he needed to do.

☕

Louis walked downstairs, glaring at everything in his sight, and was met with a few tired-looking police officers and his fumingly red mother. Not deterred from all the eyes on him, he stuck his tongue out, flipped them off, and ran right back out the door.

 

"You little shit! Get him! I'll skin his bottom alive!"

 

Louis almost smiled at his mum's anger, but the police were now on his trail, ready to get him and bring him home to his deserved ass whooping. No matter, he knew the shortcut. His legs would carry him for miles with the adrenaline he had inside of him. The blue-eyed boy felt no less than that of determination.

In no time, he stood in dismay in front of his set destination. He lifted his fist to prepare to knock on the door, until the sound of another sound of distinct pounding on a door, making him strain his ears to listen further. No doubt in his mind, the sound of Harry's screaming and crying was heard. Louis trusted himself that he knew Harry well enough to determine that it was his little one. He'd know the sound of his distress anywhere.

No time to panic, he turned round to see the police car pull up behind him, and he only prayed they wouldn't search for him.

Running to the back and stumbling up the same ladder, he cupped his eyes over the window to squint out Harry's body curled up by his bed room door, shaking with sobs. He then knocked as loud as he could in a terror, praying his boy would hear it.

Harry stiffened and turned his head immediately, his eyes definitely playing tricks on him, because Louis had left, didn't he?

"Open the window, sweetheart, hurry!" he whispered harshly. Blinking back tears in surprise, his eyes darted from his friend to the door where his father was drunkenly yelling and screaming for him to open. "It's gonna be OK, baby. Please come here."

Beside himself, Harry dashed to his window and lifted the heavy thing for Louis to squeeze through.

Louis wasted no time at all hugging the shorter boy, tempting to soothe the child in this, his darkest hour. "Ssh, it's OK. I promise, it will all be alright," he combed his fingers through the dirty curls, kissing his head and promising overtop the yelling of Harry's burly father, that it will all work out. Please be alright. He needed them to hear the racket.

On cue, Louis heard the front door barge open, the police no doubt scoping out the place and forgetting all about the indignant teenager they sought after in the first place.

"What was that?" Harry whispered after he'd been successfully calmed. Louis didn't answer. He didn't want the boy to yet face reality of what was sure to happen. The ending of this life that'd been set up for him and the beginning of another one. A better one. Without Louis.

Harry was first to pull away as he looked at Louis with a new set of eyes. But Louis was changed. Tougher in a sense. He had to be, and to stop making Harry be the tougher one in all this.

"Harry, listen to me very closely." The green eyed boy got down on his knees, Louis shortly following so they could remain at eye level with one another.

"Don't ever let anyone tell you, that you're not smart."

The police's voices rang through the newly quiet house, commanding someone to put their hands behind there head. Harry turned to the noise, but Louis delicately moved it back to make eye contact.

"Do you hear me? You're way more intelligent than you know." Harry's eyes darted between Louis soft blue ones, and he was afraid he'd break down if Harry looked elsewhere.

"Not to mention pretty," Harry opened his mouth to speak. "Don't cut me off, I know you're a boy. But you're beautiful, inside and out. That's rare these days, to find such traits in a person, and I don't want your hatred for your mother form you into something any less than what you are."

"You're beautiful too," Harry smiled- fucking smiling, even when his father was in the state he's in now, preparing to harm Harry. He was a blessing, truly.

 

"Promise me. Don't ever hate, and don't learn to hate. You're better than that." Louis chuckled to cope through the pain, ignoring the police threatening to taser someone if they didn't cooperate. "Go to school, then college, and you work your arse off while you're there. You're going to be great to someone one day. You'll be a good child to another family, a great boyfriend to someone, and an even greater husband to somebody," Louis' eyes teared up at the mention of him finally letting go of his greatest...thing. And that's what he told Harry. It's better to use words that don't rank up to something out of a college dictionary.

 

"Wha- what are you s-saying?"

 

The police have now clearly prosecuted whomever they were talking to, and by the sound of it, they were scoping out the place.

"I'm saying that you were my Christmas present- Christmas miracle. An angel if I ever needed proof of one. I've gotta let you fly."

Louis shook his head at his sentimentality, tears falling, eyes trained on those plump lips that almost ached to be touched with his own lips. So that's what he did.

 

The kiss was chaste, as Harry was still a little boy, but he couldn't resist peppering kisses to his cute button nose, red rosy cheeks, and pleasantly greeny green eyes, before placing a couple more onto his lips. Harry's eyes shot up, and he melted into the warm feel of welcoming lips in contrast to the ones his father gave him. His heart almost burst with all the love he felt.

"At least I can say I was your first kiss," Louis whispered sadly as he pulled away. Not deterred by the voices getting louder, he placed his hand onto Harry's shaky, cold ones.

"Promise me you'll be a kid," Harry cried, now knowing what was happening, but not knowing what would happen next. Louis shot him a look of confusion as Harry liftted his hand to press it to his heart. A symbol of something grand. "Do more kid things and stop reading so much bad things. Play more games, and don't swear. You're my angel too."

Louis nodded before he could even hear the whole sentence, knowing now, it was time.

"I'll see you later," Harry said, unaware of what was to come. The hard part.

"I love you Harry Styles, and I'll never forget you."

With those words dangling in the air, Louis cried, reaching under his shirt and shoving his favorite book into Harry's lap. "What?"

The police were headed to that room next, Louis could feel it, and he needed to escape before he'd changed his mind.

☕

Louis depressingly watched as Harry was loaded into the police van, shaking, sobbing, and calling out to Louis, who remained hidden in the bushes. He yelled, kicked, screamed, and Louis almost went to calm him one last time, but it was better this way. The orphanage wouldn't occupy him for long. He was cute. Someone would adopt him.

The neighbors shook their heads, sad to have been so ignorant to Harry's dilemma. And he didn't blame them. Once he'd climbed out of the bush, an empty feeling making him want to vomit, he felt a hand on his shoulder.

"That was a grand thing you did."

Louis turned to find Zayn, a pained look on his face, and it dawned on Louis that maybe he'd seen the whole thing.

It was a tense silence before Zayn reached his arms out to hug him. What a guy.

"I've got a gameboy with your name written on it. You deserve it, for what you did for that boy."

But Louis didn't want a gameboy. He wanted his boy. He may never see his boy again.

☕

"Mr. Tomlinson, please snap out of it." Louis' gaze broke from where he daydreamed at the back of his collegue's head to peer at his Professor. "You'll never ace the exams if you keep nodding off like this. Not a lot of professors here are willing to tell you to focus. We get paid either way."

His face burned with embarrassment as he steadied his focus onto the ongoing lesson, ignoring the snickering from the other collegues. No matter. He'd been holding in something vicious all day and he'll gladly push it out once class is almost over.

Louis was most definitely a class clown, which he could afford to be because his GPA was the third highest ranking at his university. His childhood, from what he could remember, was pleasantly filled with mischief, along side his main mate Zayn Malik. He and Zayn did mostly everything together, normally ending with them in handcuffs and sent back to their mothers with their tails tucked between their legs. The two were so close, they even went to University together, even though Zayn's family moved to America about a year ago.

Louis texted his friend, letting him know what that he was about to rip one, and Zayn responded calling him his favorite jackass.

"Ew! What is that smell?"

Louis pretended not to take notice of the girl's complaining next to him and took notes even though he'd already written them and was one step ahead of the class.

Soon more angry complaining followed coming from all his peers just before the bell rang, Louis leaving with his head held high and a small smirk threatening to break out on his face.

He was now free from classes for the day, and he was completely exhausted. All night he tossed and turned and dreamed of...him. Louis was blinded by beauty. The forgotten boy of his dreams was stood in front of him, short and sturdy, with a barely there face and piercing green eyes. He remembers...almost successful in molding his lips with him, until the depressing buzz of his alarm clock woke him up for Physics 101. At least it wasn't like the first night that dream happened, when he did get to kiss him, passionately, before he woke up with a hard-on. Strange. That hasn't happened since high school when he saw Ashton Irwin shirtless at gym. Those were awkward boner times. Awkward awkward boner times....

Oh well. He'd decipher his wet dreams later. Right now he had a date with the love of his life.

"Pizza," he said dreamingly, catching sight of their little cafeteria where his love lay out. "I see you got all dolled up for me," he flirts, admiring the scattering of pepperoni shining from the grease under the bulb light. The added layer of cheese completed the look.

"Lou, come on mate. Are you going to make a complete ass of yourself everyday, talking to food?" he heard Zayn whine from behind him. "People are staring."

"Why hello to you, too, Zayn," he laughed, bent over to stare at his "lover". He shook his head and whispered to the pizza "Don't mind him. He's just jealous of your beauty."

Zayn slapped him on the ass, making Louis squeal and turn to glare at the elder. "Never say such garbage. We both know I'm fucking gorgeous. I'm not being egotistical, either, I'm merely stating facts."

Louis huffed and grabbed a plate so he may get out of the other buyers' way. He didn't need to dignify that accusation with a response. Absolutely not.

"You need a guy, seriously," Zayn smirked, walking to the salad bar. Louis relented. He did really need to be in a relationship, but....his heart just didn't allow it.

Meekly stalking to pay for his lunch of pizza and carrot sticks, for healthy reasons, he sat down at his table and waited for Zayn. The boy came not a moment later, babbling with a friend across the room, before settling with his tasty salad.

"You still miss him don't you?" was the first thing he'd said. Louis lifted to meet his gaze, and it was yet another reminder that he still wasn't over Harry Styles. It took much counseling and support from his friend before he could even get out of bed after Harry left. The stabbing pain of isolation and loneliness that followed was somewhat cushioned by Zayn, yet it did nothing for him at night. Most nights, he'd sneak out-which was difficult since his mother became more watchful of him- and would sleep in Harry's tree house that stayed forgotten in Harry's backyard. Harry's parents were arrested, leaving the house completely vacant for the next couple of months.

He wondered if it was disrespectful, to bring Zayn up to he and Harry's secret location, but Louis knew Zayn was a trustworthy guy if he'd ever seen one, and Louis longed to tell someone, anyone, about Harry Styles. Louis needed proof that such an angel ever existed.

"He was my first....everything, really."

Zayn knew of Louis' predicament to have his first and only love back, but there wasn't much to be done when Harry was moved such a long distance.

The blue-eyed boy had heard through the grapevine, aka the nosy neighbors, that Harry had no other family besides his mother and father. That being said, he was an instant ward of the state once his parents were incarcerated. He was adopted within a week's time, as Louis predicted. 

Staying strong, and true to his word, Louis stopped being so pessimistic and mean, didn't focus on life so much and spent a great deal of time numbing his mind in mindless video games. He also developed a bit of a rambunctious streak, and it fit well with Zayn being down for the ride. After all, they both bonded cleaning up their baker's store to make up for the stolen pie that Zayn dropped in his escapade.

Finishing their lunch and preparing to go drop their books off at home, Louis departed with Zayn, telling him he didn't feel well and that he might be coming down with something. The admission was all the excuse Zayn needed to stay away from him.

Louis recited all the mathematical equations needed for calculus as he pushed his way through crowds of people down the sidewalk. It was getting late, and he needed to get home so maybe he could sleep his problems away. Drinking didn't seem to do much help than give him a hangover, because he couldn't stop once he'd started.

"No control," Louis thought, for absolutely no reason that he could think of. But he was so clumsy, with his head down, that of course he had to crash into someone and fall to the floor. The thud of a book hitting the ground made Louis flinch and stare at the item he'd knocked out of the stranger's hand.

"Excuse me, I'm such a clutz," a masculine voice chuckled throatily, and Louis was met with....green eyes. Bright green eyes.

"No, no I- it's my bad, really. I should really watch-" Louis' eyes must be playing tricks on him, because on the ground was one of his childhood favorites. "A Shakespearean lover, I take it?" Louis asked, eyes never leaving the book.

Louis could see the guy standing in his peripheral vision to dust off his pants.

"My first ever book, though someone literally had to break everything down to me." Oh, what a husky voice. Definite turn on, Louis studied. The love for Shakespeare certainly added to his charm, because from what Louis could tell, he was beautiful.

Louis went to reach for the book, but the stranger snatched it first, protectively, making Louis really give him a proper once-over. 

"Sorry. It's just-" The guy was certainly a sight for sore eyes, and he was easy on the eyes, and dimples- lord have mercy. "this is special. Someone I cared for gave it to me."

Louis didn't know what it was that triggered something in his brain, but whatever the case, Louis was grateful, if not hopeful.

There was a tense stare down, as people left and right whizzed by them to get to their destination. But all that mattered was the person in front of them. But it- it couldn't be. There was just no way in hell that-

"You- you look so-" the green eyed beauty began, but couldn't finish as his throat visibly tightened.

"Familiar?" Louis asked. He put a hand over his heart in fear of it exploding, because this definitely rang a bell.

Louis' eyes trailed down to the book that Harry still had a firm grip on, and he gingerly went to pry it from his hands, and to much success and lack of struggling, he did. Taking a deep breath, Louis opened the first page of the book, scanning his eyes for that very same message he'd left just for Harry-

"Always in my heart, yours sincerely-"

"Louis!" Harrry cried, launching himself at Louis and sobbing into the slightly shorter boy's shoulder. The man was ready, though. Prepared all his life to catch Harry if he were to ever cross paths with him, and never let go. "Louis. Louis. Oh my God, Louis. It;s you."

Harry was delirious with grief, mumbling into Louis' collar about how he can't believe it's him, and all the shorter boy could do was hold him. This was his baby. His Christmas miracle had returned to him. It was if that weight he'd been carrying on his chest was lifted, finally.

"Shh, baby. I've got you. You're alright. I'm here."

"I found you. I d- don't b-believe it. I th-thought I'd never find y- you." Their were very few people around them now, and they all were in awe of the sight of the two's long, overdo embrace.

"And I- you, Harry. My Harry," he cried, tears of uttermost joy. Harry pulled away to get a better look of the now shorter Louis, thinking of how fit he was, and all Louis could do was congratulate himself on knowing Harry would be model-material. "You've really grown, love."

Harry rolled his eyes, saying it was silly of him to say such a predictable thing. Turns out, Harry got adopted by a wonderful family, who raised him well with his new brother, Niall, whom loved him dearly. 

"I took your advice, Lou. I studied hard and was so beyond my level, that I managed to skip a few grades."

"That's great, Harry. I'm so proud of you. I told you that you were brilliant. I always knew."

Harry wiped the rest of his tears away, but more tears fell, so Louis did what he should have done when his instincts told him to do so as a kid. He would not let this opportunity slide by once more. Louis kissed his tears and brushed his long hair from his face. Louis looked into Harry's wet eyes.

"I've waited- so long," he whispered, leaning his forehead to Harry's.

"Then I don't think you should wait any longer," he whispered back, even though they now stood completely alone, ignoring the howl of the wind. Louis brushed his lips to Harry's, happy he waited to save himself from intimacy with another guy. He'd always known his angel would fly back to him.

Louis coached Harry into walking hand in hand to his room, sighing in relief that Zayn would most likely be with his boyfriend, Liam, this night.

Most would have thought it was too rushed, Louis taking Harry apart so soon, but they were soul mates, and they'd been away from each other far too long to stop now.Once safely inside, Louis pushed Harry into the door frame, Harry mumbling in between kisses that he, too, was a virgin.

"Then we can wait another night. Just let me kiss you."

So that's what the two did. They made out intimately from then til the early morning, whispering about what they'd done since their break up, their school life, social life, and non-existant love lives.

Harry cuddled into Louis' chest, explaining about how he cried days after he was taken away, about his confusion of where he'd go or who'd he be with, and how he moaned for Louis everyday. But one day, he said he had to face facts. His Louis was gone.

"I'm just happy you're back, safe and sound," Louis breathed into his curls. Harry sighed in content. The whole he'd felt in his own heart was filled. "I love you," he mumbled, nodding off.

"And I love you more, angel."

Louis set his alarm for a few hours from now so he could wake Harry up to leave for class, then he stared at his ceiling, questioning the idea of existence and fate, which he'd study as a minor.

Maybe he'd discuss it with Harry over a warm cup of tea. Or perhaps, something richer and sweeter.

 

☕Epilogue☕

Zayn kissed his boyfriend goodnight, sighing as he closed the door to his and Louis' shared flat softly in Liam's face. The bloke was so whipped out of his mind Louis couldn't believe it. As Louis lay feet balled into the warmth of the couch, he groaned when he noticed Zayn's smirk. He'd have to play along.

"So how's with your darling angel this evening, Lou?" he taunted smugly. The older of the two flipped him off, letting his text from the boy go ignored momentarily.

"Oh, you're one to talk, Zaynie-kins," Louis sneered bitterly. Zayn put his hand up in defense, moving from in front of the door to slip his loafers off. 

The darker chuckled, expecting such defense because Louis is Louis. "Just asking. You know I'm really happy for you, Louis. Just when I think you couldn't be any luckier, everything you dreamed of just comes crashing into you with open arms." Louis couldn't argue with that but-

"Since when have you ever considered me lucky before?" he teased, a smile threatening to show through on his face. He momentarily took a sip of his tea.

"Since you managed to rank me as a friend," he chuckled, settling his built body in beside Louis. He wrapped an arm around his friend. "Do you know how unsociable and geeky I was as a kid?"

"I can imagine," he shrugged, moving Zayn's arm from his shoulder. "You proved just how peculiar you really were when you thought biting your arms and using the indentures for fake tattoo designs were cool."

Zayn resented such a memory. "I was an inventive kid, leave me to it. I can't have all the great necessities," he argued cheekily. Louis sighed. It was never a stale moment with Zayn, until things got serious.

"I'm very happy you were a weird one, otherwise I wouldn't have found you. Truth be told, I probably would have ended my life once my pride died out."

"Whoa whoa, when did your pride ever die out?" he asked, dreading these darker times into Louis' childhood.

"The moment Harry was driven away." To be blunt, everything great in life didn't seem to measure up to when Harry asked a stupid question, or was too young to realize his naivete to the literature Louis let him hold and made a childish comment. It was true, the old saying. You never know what you got 'til it's gone. Louis' morose attitude towards life had an uncanny twist to it in that Harry became a lovely distraction from reality. He was too young to judge and Louis was too understanding to take offense.

"Oh," Zayn mumbled because what else could he say. "Wow. You really were whipped for him, and at such an early age, too."

"Course," Louis quipped, mood changing drastically. "Gave me a bit of an early ego booster when I learned I gave a 7 year old a boner." Zayn was hoarse from the laughter he produced at that.

"That even possible?"

"I don't know, but it's making me horny just thinking about it so hush."

The silence that followed after that was much more appropriate, and Louis found it that much harder to focus on the TV. If only Zayn knew just how distant Louis had been with Harry since their first encounter as adults. Sure they exchanged phone numbers before they scampered off to handle their own businesses, but Louis was terrified of this new Harry. And their age differences sure didn't help much now that he was old enough to take notice of it.

Louis was 23 now, and Harry was only 17. A freshman in college. Louis had much more time to go before he accomplished all the credits it took before going to med school, but Harry was well on his way to an actual success. Choosing the easier route and obtaining his Master's Degree to become a teacher, Harry's life seemed to be completely intact, whereas Louis...well let's just give thanks to the Gods above that he managed living this long.

Harry was handsome, smart, somewhat funny, and just everything Louis knew he would be. He's your regular Casanova. But Louis still had his own demons to face, slacking off, fighting with his mother's new boyfriend (Kash. Who the fuck names their kid Kash), drinking, and overall childish personality. He missed his younger self.

The point is, nothing changed. Harry was still out of reach, and he could be leaving soon if he decided to transfer to Africa to teach like he'd been dreaming about. There was a place in South Africa that needed people like him, but Harry texted him these things, talked of impacting the lives of others as his way of saying thank you to whatever God helped him make it this far. Louis guessed it was the very one that brought them together again.

Harry worked and had a steady job and a family and he handled things like a man. You would have never guessed he had abusive parents and was fostered then adopted. The boy clearly wanted to move on from his earlier life and focus on the now. And who was Louis to stand in his way like this?

"I gotta go," Louis decided hoisting himself off the couch and grabbing his sweater to slip on. Zayn huffed out the air he was holding in.

"I hope you're not going to do anything rash."

He had a sixth sense for when Louis was preparing to do something moronic, not thinking through before he performed his stupid actions. Zayn always had a knack for things of this sort. It was part of his charm, yet part of the reasons he thinks he couldn't get rid of the guy. Louis needed him, and Zayn never took advantage of this fact.

Already out the door, he hurried down the stairs and out the door in search of Harry's little hobble. He guessed Harry was a freshman, and they'd be found in their own hall across the way. Thankfully Louis and Zayn didn't get kicked out despite the fact that they were 22 and 23 years of age, too old to still be living on campus, but they paid their rent like everybody else.

Scrolling through his and Harry's texts, he found Harry's door number and made it there in record's time, out of breath. Once he found the exact room, he gulped, reflecting his decisions, and knocked on the door with delicacy.

Several knocks later, it opened, and revealed a....blonde character of some sort.

"Howzit? You alright mate? You look like you've been on the move," he laughed, opening the door further. Who the hell was this guy? He was pale as hell, as well as irritating by the looks of it. Looks like he swings both ways- It's very possible- and he might be trying to hook Harry, too. It's a late Saturday night, why the hell else would he be here. Harry's too old for sleepovers.

"Um, excuse me, but does a Harry Styles live here? I don't recall him mentioning living with anyone and you really don't look like his type." What was Louis talking about? He'd barely had time to talk to Harry, let alone find out what his type is.

The blonde gave him a blank stare, but then he was full on cackling at Louis, leaning against the frame of the door for support.

"You- you think that I'm- oh God. Harry! I think your admirer is here to claim what's his." The boy was laughing and laughing, mocking Louis for his earlier judgment. Maybe it was a bit absurd to jump to the conclusion that Harry would lead him on, but he still justified himself to show that his earlier assumption could have very much made sense.

Soon Harry had come to check out all the commotion, and blue eyes met green for what would seemingly be the first time, the way Harry beamed at him, flourishing at the sight of Louis disheveled at his doorstep, his friend calling him his admirer. He was clearly sleeping, the way his hair was a messy ball of curls, and his eyes shone a pleasant distancy type of stare that clearly showed he'd indeed been dreaming. So angelic, and Louis resisted the urge to reach out and pet his hair, search for that hidden halo.

"Louis? You're my secret admirer?" he asked curtly dismissing Niall from his line of vision. The glint of mischief did not go unnoticed by Louis before he vanished behind the door.

The older shrugged, "Your guess is as good as mine." And the lad almost smiled at the longingness lingering in the taller boy's eyes, but he came there for a reason.

"I was beginning to think you forgot about me," Harry smiled fondly at him, all doe eyes and dimples that Louis just couldn't handle.

"Before I forget, who exactly was that other fellow? Friend? More than? Eh?"

Harry blinked at him before snapping his fingers. "Oh, you mean Niall? That's my brother, silly." Louis moped, feeling very silly indeed for assuming that was Harry's boyfriend. "I forgot you hadn't seen him yet. Was he a bother to you?"

"Not at all," Louis replied untruthfully.

"Good, good. So you're here to take me on a date, then?"

Louis opened his mouth, to protest he wasn't sure, but closed it, thinking about it. Thinking about how jealous he'd just gotten over Harry having some other gentleman in his life, in his bed, taking what was rightfully his and OK he was sounding extremely possessive right now, wasn't he?

"I- yeah. Yeah, OK."

☕

"I hope you know I was just joking, Lou."

It was extremely late to go out on a date, but Louis was a punk and a selfish one at that, so this was the least he could do for being such a fuck up.

As fate would have it, a cafe was open at 2 in the morning, so they snuck off campus together like the rebellious teens they were (not Louis, but he was still one at heart). So Louis sat with a droopy-eyed Harry and squirmed under the angel's gaze, no denying the feeling of lust Harry had towards him. It would have destroyed all the Romantics out there if they dare not choose to order hot chocolate as their beverage.

Once the waitress carefully placed the cups down in front of them, the older couldn't help but say aloud, "the drink that started it all."

"Pardon?" Harry asked, thankful for the lack of silence.

"Nothing." Louis excused. He quickly got to work analyzing this new Harry and waited for their eyes to meet for him to quirk an eyebrow at the marsh mellows floating at the top.

"Decided to dazzle it up a bit, ey?" Harry smirked and no he did not reference Louis when he was younger! That sneaky bastard. Louis told him so.

"I remember everything, you swear-a-holic. Once a curser always a curser," Harry tutted lowly to himself. He admired nights like these. All quiet and peaceful, the world not as judging without other people around to do it themselves. The elder hummed, taking in the sweet smell of his own cup.

"And to think, I use to hate this drink once upon a time. I even stopped drinking it all together for my own sake after a while." Thankfully the owner didn't kick them out yet. It's getting super late.

"What do you mean, Lou?"

Louis took a long, scolding sip before placing his cup down gratefully. "It reminded me of the sweeter things that people like me aren't allowed to have."

"What's that?" Harry sure did ask a lot of questions. Maybe it's a late night thing.

"That's you, my dear." He wished he could hold back tears like the stronger people. He looked up to meet Harry's pained eyes. "You're something great that I knew I wouldn't have been able to keep for long. I'm surprised I was able to keep you as long as I did. And you know I hate being so pessimistic, fastidious even, but literally everything I loved in life was ripped away from me before I could even appreciate it properly. My mother, my father, my unborn little sister, my damn dog that got ran over before it reached adulthood, my childhood home, my friends, my- my fucking books for crying out loud! Can't I have anything?"

Harry sympathized with Louis greatly, even though he didn't want Harry to, and reached for his hand, but Louis yanked it to the point in the cup almost spilling.

"NO! Stop doing that. Damnit, you were happy! Your life was in order and I'm just a ball of unfaltering depression who will only remind you of your past. I wanted you to leave to be free, then I wanted you back and now- now I feel so selfish for asking god to bring you back to me. I yearned for you to build a better life for yourself because you're so unique, and smart and beautiful- but never mine, maybe get a stable boyfriend to husband to treat you like you deserve, and then I'm stingy, getting jealous when your damn brother is laying in your place. Don't you see, Harry? You can go places and do big, big things, but as for me, I'm a volcano ready to erupt. I haven't gone to therapy because they'll diagnose me with some shit I've never even heard of, but it'll be bad, I know it."

Louis gripped his hand tighter, reaching for the other one and forcing Harry to see him cry. He deserved to see the man's moment of weakness.

"I always knew you'd make it, but the thing is, I won't. I can't. And I can't have you-"

"What the hell are you talking about?" Harry raged. "What makes you so sure that I'm happy, or that leaving you and my blood family behind wasn't difficult for me? Stop pitying yourself, Louis! And while you're at it, stop pitying me!" The light outside flickered, as if on cue with what's happening, and Louis felt the revelation wash over him.

Harry huffs, pushing his slightly colder hot chocolate to the side. "You find excuses for everything, I swear. What about Zayn? Isn't he still in your life. What about your intelligence that I'm sure could one day cure all of humanity? You have so much to offer, Lou, and do you know what? Look at me." Louis focused on Harry's eyes, brimming with pain and full of emotions. "I'm yours. I've been yours since the moment you payed for those stolen cups of hot chocolate." Harry walked to the elder's side of the table, sitting in his lap almost.

"You always called me smart- even when I wasn't- and beautiful. Model material. You taught me to never let anyone tell me I'm done, or anything less than what I am. I held onto those words until my new-coming adulthood, and it helped me remain confident because it came from you, Lou. You were undoubtedly the meanest kid in all of England, yet you always told me I was beautiful and kind and smart and worth it."

It was a cashmere sweater that Zayn had bought him, and there were tears on it. It was soaked. But Louis couldn't be happier that it came from his not-so-little angel. He hid his shed tears of joy in his elbow. "Oh angel...."

"Hey, look at me. If it weren't for you, I'd be dead, if not physically, but emotionally. You saved me, so I'd say you're the angel here."

The words that burned Louis' ears circled his mind, a broken record of Harry's confession of how he loved Louis, even after all these years.

"I love you, Louis Tomlinson."

"I love you too, baby. I love you so much, you'll never understand."

"Prove it to me. Kiss me, you fool."

Louis waited years for this moment, and he could wait no longer, leaning in to meet Harry when his plump lips brushed against Louis' thin ones. He pulled Harry onto his lap instantly, words of"angel" and "mine" tossed around from Louis to the younger. This was it.

☕

Harry's hair was fanned out over his pillows, curling up at the ends and Louis grunted on top of him, ready to take Harry's innocence, and Harry was just as eager for this moment. The boys were both so glad they waited.

"You promise you're a virgin as well? You weren't just fitting in with life's B.S. by making some of your own up?"

Louis mumbled something in his usual caustic manner, lifting Harry's shirt over his shoulders to play with his nipples."Don't play with me, love, I've waited 23 years for this and if I have to fuck you for as long as I've been sexually deprived, I'll gladly do it," he warned. Harry only smirked, before admitting a moan.

"That a promise?"

Niall had gone home earlier, him only being here to visit his younger brother for the day. Louis made a mental note to get on better terms with him for his rudeness. After all, he was now officially dating his brother. He knows he'll need Niall's approval, but Harry said he likes jokes, so Louis'll pull out his best puns for the lad. Just for him.

Louis kissed down his torso gingerly, treating him with the utmost amount of care, before reaching his already unclothed regions. Lucky enough for the two of them that Harry owned Vaseline, or this would be even more painful.

Once he slicked up one finger, hushed whispers of endearment to the younger boy beneath him, it took some time for Harry to be fully comfortable with the feeling of being filled like this. But soon enough, one became two and two became four and Harry was more than ready- if his moans of fuck me, please FUCK were anything to go by.

"Hypocrite," Louis laughed, kissing Harry hard to distract him from filling him up. It almost didn't help, until Louis experimented with his hips and quickly found Harry's g-spot.

"Oh, oh yessss jesus, Louis," Harry whimpered, completely at Louis' mercy. It overwhelmed even Louis to the point of him almost finishing too soon.

"You're really tight, try to loosen up before I come," Louis grunted huskily in his ear. It made Harry's skin goosebumpy with how manly Louis sounded chasing after his release and changing his tone.The bed squeaked to life as Louis created a deadly rhythm with his hips into Harry's sweet spot.

Harry complied, but whispered, "We got all night and we're not going anywhere, so if you do, there's always round tw- OH GOD." The dirty talk definitely was doing it for the older, as he gazed down at the boy with inky eyes, tongue kissing Harry with everything in him, and he was beginning to sweat.

Harry pulled back a bit, biting his lip as he threatened to warn his lover of his release. Louis knew Harry enough, and quickly jerked him off, and the moans were sure to wake up their colleagues when Harry squealed during his release.

The boy laughed as he shook with the jeer of it, looking up at Louis with glossy eyes. "You gave me my first erection, and I came so hard thinking of when you almost kissed me." The green-eyed devil was evil of the worst kind with the way he spoke. With a final "I'm finally yours" from the younger, Louis came profusely inside Harry, almost blacking out from the thrill of it all.

They were a heep of sweaty bodies when Louis layed next to his angel. Hard for them to sleep now, Harry listened to Louis tell of his adventures with Zayn and how they were nearly arrested. It was an interesting story and all but Harry was nodding off.

"My life was no where near as interesting as yours. The most we did was flashing people in church," Harry giggled at the memory of him and his brother flashing their tiny bums to the pope.

"Nothing's changed then," Louis laughed, darting his eyes down to Harry's lower area and squeezing his butt, enough to get the message across quite clear.

"Fuck you."

"Hm. I might let you one day," he laced his fingers with Harry. "You'll be my first after all."

Silence fell upon them, and their whole lives flashed before their eyes. The present, the past, and their future together. Zayn eventually texted him asking if he was OK, and when he answered that he was, he said how LIam heard some two guys doing it, and even Louis had to blush and show his phone to Harry.

"Could be anybody," Harry said for reconciliation.

"But Liam's a freashman too, and his dorm is here."

The twosome chuckled and finally fell asleep. Together. Blinking slowly.

 

The two boys blinked, looking at time passing by. The blinked again and Louis was graduating. A wink, and Harry was turning 21 and marrying that wiseacre son of a bitch that bought his first cup of hot chocolate, a second blink and Louis had finished med school, but the third blink brought 3 little ones in its wake, all boys. Several blinks later and Harry Tomlinson was a vogue male model and part-time elementary teacher with a family and a great husband with little boys and an award-winning husband, who calls him beautiful everyday with uncle Z-man, Li, and Ni-ni to get it on the fun. This was the outcome from two different little boys with an interest in Hot Chocolate.

☕☕ THE END ☕☕

**Author's Note:**

> OK, so this story was originally on Wattpad (still is) in multiple chapters, but I decided to make it all one because I liked it better that way. Thank you so much for reading, and I hope you enjoyed reading as much as I did writing. Now I know it isn't perfect, and I'm all for criticism. So if there's anything I messed up on or anything you didn't understand, tell me! I won't at all be offended, I swear! AO3 makes me feel so intimidated because in all honesty, the best writers make their magic here and their writing always leaves me feeling self-conscious. Regardless, please, feedback would make my day! And if you've a Wattpad, my name is the same here that it is there :) Goodbye and thanks for reading! xx


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